ONE HEART JOURNEY TO THE BAKA,
November- December 2000.

Introduction

During Su and Martin's last trip to Cameroon the Ministry of Culture obliged Martin to work through them in order to repatriate any funds due to the Baka performers on "Heart of the Forest". Discussions were developing well when One Heart's contact suddenly ceased to respond to the dialogue that had been established. For several months nothing was heard despite repeated requests for information by One Heart. Suddenly one morning, One Heart received a fax from the Baka sent by satellite from a mission station, urgently requesting 100 machetes and files.

The fax prompted One Heart to decide that a visit was necessary. The trip would seek to re-establish communication, repatriate some of their royalties and consult with the Baka as to how they wished to proceed in future. In order to assist in these tasks, assure effective communication and benefit from an up to date knowledge of the contemporary situation of other Pygmy people, One Heart commissioned the anthropologist Jerome Lewis, a specialist on the forest people of Central Africa, to accompany Martin on his visit to the Baka.

The visit

Martin and Jerome arrived in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, on 18 November 2000. They travelled to Cameroon via Congo in order for Martin to have the opportunity of meeting the Bambendjele Baaka, with whom Jerome had lived for 3 years. After a flight to Ouesso and an overnight stay in a logging town Martin and Jerome took a small motor boat down the Sangha River to look for the Bambendjele camps. After some searching they found Mongemba and Emekašs small camp by the river and set up their tents. Three days of singing and dancing followed as Bambendjele from surrounding camps came to greet Jerome and Martin, and celebrate together.

Charged up with polyphonic rhythms echoing around their heads they began the journey overland to the Baka in Cameroon. After two days travel Martin and Jerome arrived at the Baka's wet season roadside village. Beka circumcision rites were in full swing and the majority of the Baka had assembled to participate in them. Eight young neophytes had recently been cut and were in the strengthening period, eating boiled bananas two at a time and smearing themselves in palm kernal oil. These events had assembled most of the people who had participated in the recordings of Heart of the Forest and Spirit of the Forest, and provided Martin and Jerome with the opportunity to discuss developments since Su, Martin and Milo's last visit in 1998 with most of the Baka concerned.

The elder and spokesman Dondolo, a very sharp old man, quickly made us understand the problems they have when their money is sent to them through other people. Dondolo was very clear, and was unanimously supported by everyone else; they do not want their money left with the Mission Station or with the Delegue de la culture de l'Est. They want to have their money directly themselves. To reinforce this Dondolo gave the following example:
"If you give a child a banana it is up to the child to hold it carefully and eat it well, or to drop it and make a mess. You can't refuse the child the banana just because s/he may make a mess."

As the discussions continued we understood how their mistrust of those claiming to help them had developed. So many rumours, claims and counter claims had been circulating since Su and Martin's last visit that the Baka no longer knew what to believe. Certain individuals, seeking to manipulate both One Heart and the Baka in order to divert funds, had developed elaborate schemes and deceptions. These individuals and the schemes they had instituted were discussed and understood in their true light. This was an important lesson about the power of the written word and the dangers of signing pieces of paper without understanding the consequences. The Baka continue to remain extremely distrustful of strangers as a result.

After assuring that everyone could at least follow the complex problems created by some of the documents that had been signed by the Baka, we were able to establish more clearly what people wished to happen. The solution that was most popularly supported by men, women, young and old was to form their own indigenous Baka association. The association would allow them to have a legal status, an address, bank account, and permit them to deal directly with One Heart without depending on intermediaries. In order to assist them in founding their association the Baka requested the support of CODIBABIK, a Bagyeli Pygmy organisation in southwestern Cameroon.

The remaining period was spent in surveying the Baka community in order to provide a baseline census and list of the individuals related to the performers of the music published by Baka Beyond. This was followed by visits to three forest camps in order to begin the process of mapping the Baka's traditional forest. Upon our return everyone had now assembled at the roadside village to participate in discussions and to prepare for a presentation ceremony that would help alleviate some of the immediate needs expressed by the Baka

From the survey information a list of names was compiled to structure the distribution of the goods equitably among all. Martin carefully explained which recordings were used to make the CDs, how they were used and who the main singers and musicians were.

In order to minimise jealousies and dissatisfactions a wide selection of goods were bought for distribution: machetes, files, pots, pans, cloth, school blackboards, books and pens, soap, candles, batteries, torches and lanterns, a tape recorder, guitar and a mandolin. The distribution was conducted among every adult member of the community. The total population of Baka is 224 people, of which 121 are adults over the age of 18. In order to reward those directly responsible for the music that sold small sums of cash were given to key performers, in proportion with their participation, as session fees.

The presentation ceremony took place on 10-11 December 2000 and was followed by Martin and Jerome's departure to Congo and then back to Europe. The trip will be followed up by a visit from CODIBABIK in order to assist Baka to organise themselves into an effective association. This will then permit direct communication and the transfer of funds between One Heart and the Baka. The Baka expressed the intention that the association will address five main areas:

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